


Safe

by Chizyk



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, MarcoAce Week 2019, Past Character Death, Selkie AU, marcoace - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-03 02:33:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21171989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chizyk/pseuds/Chizyk
Summary: He definitely did not expect to fall in love with a human; selkies weren’t very fond of humans after all.





	Safe

**Author's Note:**

> My entry to MarcoAce week 2019, promt "Safety".  
Thank you so much to Chromi for being my beta on this <3 (check her out shes AMAZING T_T)  
Also i'll be expanding this au, this is just a short snipet.  
Enjoy yall! :)

Ace watched the screen uninterestedly, eyes lazily skimming over colorful pictures of a funny rabbit and other drawn animals. “Cartoons” was what Marco said it was called; he still couldn’t understand how this “TV” thing was working, despite him trying to explain it to him more than once. He couldn’t help but think that humans truly could be amazing when they wanted to, despite all of their obvious shortcomings - being innovative and creative was clearly not one of them.

He felt Marco’s chest rising and falling steadily as he lay in his arms, listening to his heartbeat. Marco had one arm on his lower back as the other hung down the side of the couch. They were both naked with Marco fast asleep. He pretty much felt asleep almost immediately after they finished the last one of the several hot love making sessions they’d had that evening. Ace, however, exhausted and sore as he was, still couldn’t sleep, the thoughts in his head being determined to keep him awake.

So much has happened in such a short period of time. It was a bit crazy to think about, even for someone like him. He definitely did not expect to fall in love with a human; selkies weren’t very fond of humans after all. And there were plenty of reasons for that, starting with humans being a very invasive and cruel species. They had to change their habitat several times due to humans dirtying their waters as well as humans hunting his kin for their pelts, not to mention how some would fall as low as to steal a selkie’s pelt in order to subjugate them and make them stay with them.

It happened to him a long time ago; it made his skin crawl to even think about that again. If it wasn’t for a little human boy, Luffy, who had been so determined to help him and eventually found his pelt and brought it back to him, Ace wouldn’t be where he was right now. He owed Luffy for giving him back his freedom. And he hoped he would never have to see that horrid man again.

Then of course, there was his mother…his beautiful, kind and strong mother. She was so passionate and determined, vicious and stubborn when necessary, especially when defending her family. Qualities that a lot of his kin say he inherited from her. She was the glue that kept their family together. He’d had a rocky relationship with his father throughout his adolescent years and she, more often than not, used to play peacemaker between the two of them.

And then she gave her life for his, to protect him from poachers. He remembered that day as if it was yesterday. He remembered them coming and trapping them, remembered himself feeling scared and powerless. The horror he felt as these men killed his kin in cold blood and complete disbelief and pain when his mother jumped on a man to take the blow that was intended for him. He remembered her body lying motionless on the snow, along with other selkies murdered viciously, blood covering their furs and scarlet traces on the snow when the humans dragged their bodies away. He still woke up from nightmares after that day. Sometimes he couldn’t even sleep, thinking how he would gladly go back in time and take her place, again and again. His hatred for humans only grew after that day. Luffy was the only exception, a unique specimen among his species.

His father was inconsolable yet he never blamed Ace, even though he should, and if anything he became even more overprotective and controlling. He watched his every move, saying that it was all for his own good. Yet now he understood his father, and as painful as it was for both of them to lose her, somehow the death of their beloved mother brought them closer, closer than they ever were and it was a shame it only happened after she was gone. He wished she could see it. It would’ve made her so happy. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing his father too.

He still managed to bring trouble onto himself. He was always a problem child, curious by nature; he naturally gravitated towards everything that was new, exciting and dangerous, especially if it was prohibited by his father - that never changed. He didn’t have enough fingers on his human body to count the amount of times he has gotten himself into trouble or dangerous situations. His father would scold him and berate him, lecturing him about his future role as a leader of selkie clan, and how it would be his duty, one day, to protect it. His father would then gently cradle his face with his paws and say how losing him would literally kill him, and begged Ace to take pity on his old man.

After his mother’s death he denounced ever acknowledging any humans. He knew he couldn’t avoid them altogether, what with them butting their noses where they didn’t belong, but he tried to do his best, never letting them or his kin get too close. He became more aware and responsible.

Then he had met Marco. The moment he lay eyes on the man he knew he was different, he could feel it in his core. There was something about him that had pulled Ace in. He could have been wrong, he knew humans couldn’t be trusted - he saw it, experienced it first hand, and yet he chose to trust Marco. He chose to reveal the secret of his people, one that they had carefully hid and protected from humans out of fear of subjugation, to Marco, and he knew he wouldn’t betray him or use it against him.

A sleepy murmur brought him back from his musings, and he lifted his head and smiled softly as he watched Marco mumble something incoherent in his sleep. He was frowning, corners of his mouth pulled down slightly, but his features softened once Ace gently brushed his knuckles over his chiselled cheek and leaned up to place a chaste kiss on his lips. Ace then settled back down on Marco’s chest, closing his eyes and finally feeling sleep beginning to take over him, and the last thing on his mind was:

he felt safe.


End file.
